Mailbox with transparent auxiliary receptacle



MAILBOX WITH TRANSPARENT AUXILIARY RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 21, 1947 C. W. BlERlG July 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2.

Inventor Carl Will/am Bier/g 2,561,007 MAILBOX WITH TRANSPARENT AUXILIARY RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 21, 1947 C. W. BIERIG July 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 inventor Carl William Bier/'9 Patented July 17, 1951 ,"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f MAILBOX WITH TRANSPARENT AUXILIARY RECEPTACLE Carl William Bierig, Joplin, Mo. Application November 21, 1947, Serial No. 787,343

. 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful im rovements in rural ty e mailboxes, it'being the principal object of the invention to structurally and otherwise improve upon boxes in this field resently known to me.

It is a matter of common knowledge that the rural box customarily used comprises a horizon tally elongated sheet metal box having a flat bottom, a dome-like body portion, a vertical fixed rear or back end and a hinged front door, the latter usually mounted to be swung downwardly to permit access to be had to the interior of the box, In addition, these boxes are usually provided on one side with a so-called signalling flag for use both by mail carriers and residents. In order to appreciate the difficulties which attend the use of present-day rural-type boxes, it is perhaps advisable to touch upon matters especially from the viewpoint of the mail carrier. To this end, it is to be kept in mind that in thousands of daily delivery incidents, the rural carrier arrives at a predetermined box in the morning to deliver mail, places mail in the box, and pulls the flag up to show that a delivery has been made. Then, the resident walks out to the box and picks up the mail, but, as a general proposition, fails to pull the flag down, leaving it up, to the confusion of all concerned.

The next day, the rural carrier comes along to the same box, sees the flag up, makes a stop to pick up mail only, for he has no mail to deliver to the box in question, and he finds that the box is empty, that is, is possessed of no outgoing mail. Manifestly, this necessitates a stop for the carrier with a loss of time and wear and tear on his car, and unnecessary consumption of gasoline for stopping and starting.

It is also well, it is believed, to keep in mind the old box referred to and conditions which arise in connection with winter weather, where boxes are snow covered, or covered with .ice Under such delivery conditions, the carrier starts out to deliver'mail accompanied bya hammer and ascrewdriver, or chisel, as the case may be. Since the type of box now used is designed with an upswinging lid in front, or a lid that hinges atthe bottom and swings out and down, under normal temperature conditions, it works satisfactorily, but under bad weather temperatures and conditions, the lid is sealed closed by ice and this necessitates the use of a hammer and a chisel or screwdriver to break the ice loose, and once the box is hammered out of shape and the lid is pried open, said box is thereafter often damaged to the extent that it works unsatisfactorily.

One object of the present invention is to provide a rural-type box whose bottom is provided with a transparent receptacle for outgoing mail, said receptacle being so mounted that it depends Well below the bottom of the box so that a portion of the outgoing mail which is situated therein may be seen in the distance by the mail carrier, whereby to notify him that he shouldv stop by and make a pickup of mail.

Another object is to provide a box having an outgoing transparent mail depository or receptacle which is substantially water and freezeproofed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rural-type box having a corrugated bottom for reception of mail left by the carrier to be picked up by residents, this being preferable, in that it prevents the mail from adhering or sticking to the bottom and, in so doing, facilitates removal of same.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a box having a relatively stationary or fixed-bottom and a shell-like body portion, the latter having both front and rear ends fixedly mounted, the rear end of said body being hingedly mounted on the bottom and the entire box or body being swung up and away from the bottom to facilitate inserting and removing mail and also to insure protection of same under all weather conditions.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rural-type mail delivery box constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line '2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; v

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2, looking in the directio of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a cross section on the transverse line 44 of Figure 3, also looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals, attention is directed first to Figures 1 and 3 wherein the rigid support is in the form of a post or the like 6 and the box proper is denoted by the numeral 1. The latter, instead of being formed with a solid bottom and body included, is made up of two sections or relatively movable parts. That is to say, the box proper is in the form of a hood-like shell which includes a hood or dome portion 8, a vertical fixed rear closing end 9, and a corresponding vertically with the bottom in forming a sort of trough-like receiver for mail which is left by the carrier to" be picked up by the house residents: The numeral; I3 designates an appropriately constructed arcu ate brace which is fastened at I4 to the post and secured at its opposite end to the forward'portion of the corrugated bottom IL; The-lower, skirt;- forming portion of the box surrounds the bottom and flanges, as shown in Figure 3. What-is more, the rear end portion of the box is mounted on a hing-ing axl'eor pin-1P5; the=1atter being seated in bearings 8; as shown'in Figure l. Coiled springs: IT (seeFi'gure 23* surround? the end: portions ofthe axle on the interior of" the box and are con-. nected together by'a detent" I8 which rests against, the'fixed' bottom I I1 The end portions of. the convolutions or coils are attached: to rigidly att'ached' anchoring hooks l9 on the interior-of the vertical-sidewallsof the box proper. The spring means, acting on the: box 'and' bottom. and axle, serves to automatically swing the box upto the dotted line or open positionillustrated in Figure 4 Retainingineans-is provided to normally hold. thebox in a down or closed position. This means comprises an adapter 20" which iscarried' on the underside of the forward end portion of 'the bot-l t'om H and which serves-to accommodatearocker shaft 21. The rocker shaft is properly mounted in bearings for rotational purposes and one end portion projects and is provided. with a hand grip 2 2-. Ihe rocker shaft is provided with a latch finger 23 having a hook 24' toengage; a keeper25' onthe inside of the front; wall of the box-"I, as shown in Figure 3. The spring members 26 and 21" are mounted in the adapterand'i coact with the rocker shaft; and latch. finger to hold thefinger normally pressed into latching position. By catching hold of the hand. grip-22 and rocking the shaft 2i against the spring tension set up by the spring. means referredto, it'is obviousthat v the box is then released and the spring means, I! and I 8 previously referred tocomes into; play to automatically swing the. entirev box; up to open, inclined position. It follows that when the mail carrieracomes; along and desires to; deposit; the mail in the. box. he simply" catches; hold; of the handle 22; rocks theshaitlt, releases: the latch, and; the box goes; up; to; expose the; corrugated trough portion for reception; of; mail to, be picked up by residents.

. "Attention is now directedtothe most important aspect of, the; invention. This hasv .0 do; witha novel weather-proofed depository or receptacle which is; built into. and forms a part of. the-box and whichis situatedand satisfactory to accommodate outgoing mail. This depository or means is referred to generally bythe numeral .8 and comprises a transparent receiver. Actually the -1 eceiver is made. up of a suitable metal or equiv-- alent iirame 29 of rectangular form and this is in' the natureof. a. hanger and is suspended, in the apertured portion of the bottom H. as shown in Figure 3 The. frame serves to accommodatev and hold a pan of insertable and removable glass or equivalent panels or panes 30. These panes, in conjunction with the bottom of the box and the framework, make up a substantially rectangular pocket-like depository. This depository opens into the box proper and serves to accommodate outgoing mail, as denoted by the numeral 3|. By opening the box, the resident deposits mail which is to be mailed out, this in the depository 28. As the depository depends to an elevation below the under side ofthebottom, and as the; Windows or panels are transparent, it is obvious that the mail carrier driving by will see the mail resting in the depository and will, regardless of the position of the flag- (not shown) -,,stop by and make the necessary" pickup. It is obvious that the means 28 is for outgoing, mail and that the corrugated bottom'is used for incoming mail.

Takinggintowconsideration all of the perplexing difficulties met by both carriers and residents in reference to rural mail delivery service, it is obvious that considerabletime could be spent here dwelling-uponvarious factors-in relation to same. It: is. clear, however; that I have touched upon only the prinoipal difliculties and have stressed the details, of construction Which'go to make; the improvedibox. and the, various phases thereof Such. a disclosure appears to be adequate for my purposes.

In view of? the. foregoing; description taken. in,

conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the de-. vice willibe quite apparent to those skilled in this. art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary;

It is: to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described. a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by thev spiritsof' the invention as herein described: and within the. scope of theappended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In arural type mailbox, a box proper, said box being constructed to permit access to be had to the interior and including a stationary bottom, said bottom being'provided centrally with a longitudinal mail slot, a frame attached to and depending rig-idly from the underside of said bot-- tom in alignment with said mail slot, and spaced parallel glass panels mounted in said frame, said frame, glass panels and bottom being interconnected in weathertight relatignship to provide a r ce fo eu gqinsmai wh b m P d n, a d e iv bx Wa qia dhq mar be c ea y s en, rom bot c the r iver. b a mai carrier at a elatirelr distant.

- (EARL WIL JAM B EE G The-to owins; finances ar 3 3 9131 in. the l o this. Patent: 

